KEY POINTS:
A disgraced Wanganui Hospital gynaecologist who resigned after a string of failed sterilisations practised for two months despite having an alcohol problem.
And in further revelations, Dr Roman Hasil had started work at Palmerston North Hospital the week the allegations broke. He was expected to go back to
work at Wanganui Hospital shortly afterwards.
"He came out here with dreams of making a new life for himself, and things didn't work out. I think the biggest problem was depression, and there were family issues... There was an alcohol issue. Whether that was a symptom of underlying issues I'm not sure," said his supervisor, Dr Mark Stegmann. "He was just about to come back to work and these failures suddenly came apparent."
Hasil resigned from Wanganui Hospital two weeks ago after it was discovered he had botched six out of 32 female sterilisations last year.
The usual failure rate is one in 200.
He also called a patient, Frederika Himmel, and told her he could not find the entrance to her uterus or cervix when analysing the results of her laparoscopic surgery.
Stegmann told the Herald on Sunday Hasil's problems first arose in July. He was given assistance and was supervised almost daily but continued to practise. It wasn't until the problems resurfaced in September that he was placed on sick leave.
Stegmann insisted proper procedures were followed in managing Hasil's problems - by the hospital in conjunction with the Medical Council and unions.
"There were very strict programmes in place to ensure those issues were dealt with - very strict monitoring on an almost daily basis.
"It was only once we were absolutely sure and the processes were being followed that we considered bringing him back to work."
But further questions have been raised about Hasil's competence. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Dr Christine Tippett told Radio New Zealand Hasil had repeatedly failed Australian tests to qualify as a gynaecologist.
The scandal has already had a serious impact on Wanganui Hospital, according to Stegmann. A US gynaecologist, offered a job at the hospital, turned it down after the furore.
Stegmann said the end result would be more low-quality doctors to ease the shortage.
"This is going to happen more and more because people are trying as hard as they can to fill the gaps," said Stegmann.
The Wanganui District Health Board refused to comment.
